THOOTHUKUDI
Tension prevails in South Peikulam near Sattankulam in the district after a village panchayat ward member was murdered on Monday night.
Police said M. Jayakumar, 38, an autorickshaw driver of South Peikulam, was the 6th ward member of Srivenkateswarapuram village panchayat under Alwarthirunagari panchayat union. He also had a shop in the village. When he was standing near his shop on Monday night, an eight-member armed gang that came on four motorcycles hacked him to death.
Superintendent of Police Arun Balagopalan inspected the scene of crime. During investigation, the police found that Jayakumar, who had married a girl from another community a few years ago, had earned the enmity of a few people during the local body election.
The police picked up one Stalin, president of Peikulam Traders’ Association, and Periyasamy, president of Venkateswarapuram village panchayat, for interrogation on Monday midnight, and the traders shut down their shops on Tuesday in protest.
After releasing them on Tuesday morning, the police have picked up five others in connection with the murder.